The Inshuti z’Umuryango: The Volunteers Helping Keep Children Safe in Rwanda (Results Brief)

The Government of Rwanda (GoR) is committed to ensuring that all children achieve their full potential in a safe and protective environment. A key element of this commitment is the ‘Inshuti z’Umuryango’ (IZU) or ‘Friends of the Family’ programme. IZU are a cadre of para-professional volunteers who are selected by residents in every village (one male and one female) based on their good reputation. They usually work as a pair in supporting children and families and are responsible for assisting in the protection of children from neglect, violence, abuse, and exploitation. The IZU programme was initiated in 2016 as an innovative approach to decentralising the child protection workforce to community-level, and the cadre now comprises the frontline of Rwanda’s child protection system. 

This brief presents the results of several assessments of the IZU initiative.